Trouble in The Hamptons
by Guarding My Castle
Summary: There is something happening in the Hamptons and Beckett and Castle are on the outs. The detectives want to know what it is and how we went from the bliss After The Storm to This. Story begins one year after "Always"
1. Chapter 1 Invitation

**I wish I owned Castle & Beckett. But I don't. These belong to ABC and Andrew Marlow? If they would like to loan them to me, I will accept them.**

**For continuity. The time line is the first four chapters happen in the future about one year after Always.  
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THE LONG WEEKEND

Friday morning Richard Castle enters the 12th princint from the elevator. He walks over to the bull pen and announces with his usual cheery banter to the group that he is issuing an invitation to everyone to come up to his home in the Hamptons for the next upcoming weekend. It is to be a fun day for everyone and he expects all to join him. He says he is arranging transportation and there is going to be room for all at the estate. He wants everyone to come up Saturday morning and stay until Sunday afternoon. He also says that he will have a very important announcement to make to them while they are all there. He tells them that it is for them and their spouses. So, he will leave a sign in sheet with the desk sergeant. "Please, everyone I want you to be my guest."

He walks past Detectives Beckett, Esposito, Ryan and heads toward the office of Captain Gates. When he is out of earshot, the two junior detectives look at Detective Beckett and question what is going on. Beckett never raises her head. She continues to look down to her desk and responds that she has no idea about what Castle has on his mind.

Ryan asks "Kate, you and Castle had been real close until just lately. Don't you know what he is doing?"

She looks up toward the writer and shakes her head "No clue, Kevin. I guess he has a wild party planned like before." Then puts her head back down toward her work. "You know, it's not like I'm his wife or girlfriend or anything!"

Detective Esposito speaks up, "Beckett, what has happened between you and Castle. He never brings you coffee anymore and we don't see much of him. Is he avoiding us or did you and him have some type of rift?"

"Mind your own business Javi" Kate blurts out and focuses back on the paperwork on her desk.

The other two detectives know they best leave this alone. Esposito whispers to Ryan that he will call Lanie later to see if she knows anything and they both go back to their paperwork.

After a few minutes Beckett's personal cell phone rings. When she answers, a smile appears on her face. This is actually the first time the detective has smiled in several weeks. After a few minutes of whispered conversation she tells whoever is on the phone to meet her at a coffee shop nearby at noon. She speaks for a few more minutes. During this conversation she laughs and smiles again. When then they hang up, Kate looks at the phone with a smile. She then returns to the tasks on her desk. .

When lunch time arrives, Beckett tells the pair that she is meeting with her dad for lunch and probably will not be back today. Ryan says that he and Esposito will hold down the fort. Neither man recalls her father ever causing that type smile from Beckett.

As soon as she has left, Esposito calls Lanie and asks to meet him and Ryan at the station since they can't leave right now. The medical examiner tells them she needs to talk to them too so she will be there in about a half hour.

Forty-five minutes later the elevator bell rings. As soon as the door opens and Lanie exits they all three head for the lunch room.

Lanie opens up first "OK guys what is going on?"

Ryan answers first "We have no idea. We were hoping you knew"

Esposito "Did you get the invitation from Castle too?

"Yes, Castle came in this morning and invited me to the Hamptons and said it was very important I be there, but he would not say why he is doing this. I asked Alexis if she knew and all I did get was a cryptic answer."

"What did she say?"

"Just that there was a major change in her dad's life and we all really had to be there for the announcement. What has Beckett said?"

Ryan says" She pretty much told us to butt out, not ask then left to have lunch with someone who she said was her father. But the smiles on her face when she was on the phone don't normally happen when you are talking to your father, you are her best friend. Has she said anything to you? Have she and Castle broke up?"

"Well, she denies there is anything to be broke up from. The two of them have been like a married couple and much happier. But the last few weeks there seems to be a large chasm between them. Have you two noticed anything?"

Esposito answers "Yeah, He stopped coming in but maybe for a few minutes every couple of days. He seems to only come in while Beckett is gone. He is cordial and friendly as always. He will look at the murder board and actually has helped on two cases with his off the wall thinking. We sort of miss him being here everyday. Of course, no coffee for Kate and she seems lost in the mornings. I have noticed she looks up toward the elevator several times when it rings like she is longing for it to be him."

Ryan asks Lanie "Can you try to talk to Beckett and get something?"

"I will try, but she has been avoiding me. It's like there is something bad going on and she doesn't want to discuss it."

Esposito suggests that even though Captain Gates is a real hard nose about Castle, she might just have some incite as to what might be happening. The trio decides to approach Gates especially since Castle went into her office when he came in.

Esposito knocks on Gate's door. "Come in"

The two detectives and medical examiner enter and stand until Gates stops her work and looks up at them. She immediately says "NO! I have no idea what is happening. Castle did say he really wanted all of us to be sure to be there. That is all I know. I will say this, I don't like how this one man has disrupted this station with whatever drama he is injecting so I suggest the three of you go back to work. So close my door on the way out."

Well, that told them that they were going to get nowhere with her.

Lanie asks "Did you hear what coffee shop Kate was going to?"

Ryan thinks for a minute "Yeah! Eric's Espresso on the west corner..."

"Yeah, I know where that is. I am going over there to see if I find out who she is seeing. Bye!" and she heads out the door.

Esposito looks over to Ryan "I hope this is not the end of Castle and Beckett. They have seemed really happy especially these last few months. You know like maybe they actually got into a relationship and we just were not allowed in?"

Ryan is looking thru the glass to the hallway "I know. If these two have parted ways, I am going to hurt for both of them. They deserve each other. I really thought they were in love. This does not look good though."

Lanie heads for the elevator to leave while the two detectives pause for a moment before going back to their desks to try and solve some murders.

Lanie arrives at the coffee shop in time to see Kate sitting at a table. She is talking to a man in his mid thirties. Lanie does not recognize him. He is definitely NOT her father. They are smiling and laughing. Kate is looking at some papers on the table. There appears to be pictures of something, but she cannot get a good enough angle to see what it is. After a few minutes they pack up whatever it is and get up to leave. As they get ready to part, Kate gives the man a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Lanie makes a quick getaway before she is seen by the pair.

As she turns the corner she slaps herself. Why didn't she get out her cell phone and take a picture of this guy so the boys could try to hunt him down and find out what this is all about?

She tries to follow the man to get a picture, but he is moving too fast and she looses him when he enters the crowded subway station. She calls Esposito and gives him the information she has and decides to go to Beckett's apartment to see if she can get Beckett to talk.

When Lanie gets to Kate's loft, no one answers the door. So decides to use her key to go inside. She yells out to see if anyone answers, but no one is home. She is going to use this moment to snoop around and play detective herself. When she enters the living area, she sees something that troubles her a great deal. It looks as if Beckett is packing for a move. There are moving boxes everywhere. Some are already full, marked with the contents. Some are still empty. The book shelves have already been packed. The small trinkets are still on the shelves.

Is she leaving? Is she moving to a new apartment? She has not mentioned anything to her best friend or the boys about relocating. Lanie decides that she will try to use some excuse to come back later when Beckett is home and try to find out exactly what is going on. She decides to leave before Kate returns But there is definitely something that Beckett is trying to hide.

Over the course of the weekend, Lanie tries repeatedly to call Beckett but gets her voice mail every time. She is not real sure if Kate is avoiding her or really not available. She continues to try all the way to Monday.


	2. Chapter 2 The News Reports

CHAPTER 2

Monday morning Ryan stops by the news stand just outside the precinct and picks up his usual morning edition of the New York Times. Sitting next to the paper is one of the usual celebrity rags. The ones that have the paparazzi photos of some naked starlet or the "who is sleeping with who" storey. Ryan is shocked by a headline on the front page.

"IS FAMOUS MYSTERY WRITER TYING THE KNOT?"

Below the headline Ryan reads "Novelist Richard Castle appears to be off the market."

Kevin buys the paper and heads up the station. When he arrives on their floor, he begins to look for his partner. Detective Esposito is at his desk. Ryan makes sure that Beckett is out of earshot, grabs Esposito and tells him to meet in the conference room. Once inside, Ryan closes the door and shows the paper to his partner. Esposito can't hide his shock when he reads the headline. He opens the paper and continues the article.

"Sources close to the Castle family have confirmed that there is a change in his relationship status. It was initially assumed that he had become engaged to his police department muse and model for his famous character 'NIKKI HEAT', New York Police Detective Kate Beckett. Mr. Castle and Detective Beckett, however, have not been seen together in over a month. Several telephone calls to Detective Beckett have gone unreturned.

Over the past several years, Mr. Castle and Detective Beckett have been almost inseparable. Even at crime scenes, where she is the lead Detective for the 12th precinct, Mr. Castle would be present with as much access as any police officer. Ms. Beckett has been Mr. Castle's constant escort at several charity events and book releases and signings up until recently. At the latest book signing at Borders Books on 54th Street, Mr. Castle was there with his daughter, Alexis. Also at the last Children's Hospital Charity fundraiser, Mr. Castle's mother, Martha Rogers was his date for the evening. With the absence of Ms. Beckett, this reporter assumes that there is breakup in that relationship.

Also information coming from the sources in the Hamptons, where Mr. Castle maintains a summer home, reports that there is some type activity happening at the estate. Several rental companies who specialize in wedding planning and coordination have been seen coming and going from the property. It gives all appearances that a wedding is in fact taking place.

So, sorry all you ladies who were waiting for your chance at the famous writer, it appears that after the 28th of this month, the famous Richard Castle will be 'Off The Market' for good.

We will keep everyone advised on what information we can find. "

Esposito stares at the paper in shock. "What happened? Do we know who he is marrying?"

Ryan answers "Maybe it's Martha tying the knot finally with someone or Alexis landed that university professor she was after?"

"I don't know Bro, but we better find out something and soon. I hate to think about going to his house and watch him marry someone and have a broken Beckett left sitting here all alone. Especially after everything they have been to each other and all they have been thru. WOW, we need to get Lanie in here now."

Ryan grabs his phone and dials Lanie "Hey, are you alone? Great! We need to talk. I mean right now. NO! This won't wait. OK! We're on our way"

"Is she coming?" Esposito asks.

"No, she is finishing up on a case and can't leave right now. We need to go there"

Esposito questions how they are going to explain leaving. Ryan tells him that Lanie does have an early report on the latest victim to give them, so she will use it as an excuse for them coming over.

They leave the conference room and see Beckett at her desk. Ryan says "Beckett, going to ME's office. Lanie has the prelim on the latest vic."

Beckett does not even look up "OK! See you later"

In the elevator Ryan looks at Esposito "This is bad, really bad. I wish we could get her to open up and tell us what has happened"

"Whatever happened, it must have been the worst. She is going to be devastated or she already is and is in shock. I hope this does not cause here PTSD to kick back in. You know she really just got over it about 6 months ago."

When they exit the elevator they pass by the front desk and ask the officer if there have been any telephone messages for Beckett lately.

She just looks up "Good grief, YES! We have been flooded with phone calls from newspapers, radio, TV, and other media for several days. All asking for information about her and Castle. Beckett takes the messages, does not even look at them, and tosses them into the trash before she gets on the elevator. Why? What's going on?"

Ryan tells her about the article. She looks shocked "What happened? I thought those two were going to get together."

"We all did. We are going to try to get to the bottom of this. We'll keep everybody informed as soon as we know something"

With that, the two detectives get into their cruiser and head over to the ME's office.

Dr. Lanie Parish is sitting at her desk completing her reports when the two detectives come in. "Hi guys. What's going on?"

Ryan drops the paper in front of Lanie. She looks at it for a moment then her face fills with shock. She grabs the paper and reads more intently. "What is going on?"

Esposito speaks up "I wish we knew. Has Beckett said anything to you yet?"

"No she won't even call me back. She sent a text message saying she was extremely busy doing something and would get back to me. I told her we needed a girl's night out and she replied that we could in about 3 weeks. That's all I know. Now this! Have we lost our girls' happiness?"

Ryan responds "It sure looks that way."

Esposito reacts "Hey guys, we are all expected to go to this party or wedding or whatever it is. Man I can't go and see our girl hurt this way. I'll take Castle out back and take care of it! Lanie, you will help me dispose of the body. Right?"

"No question. They will never know what happened to him. But what about Kate? She has got to be suffering right now. Ryan, can you talk to her and see if she'll let you in on anything?"

"Sure, but I don't think I will get much out of her. She has totally pulled inside herself . You know how she did when Castle first brought up her mother's murder. She went completely Closed to everyone."

Lanie says "OK! Let's all meet at my place tonight. We only have 3 days to try to get answers.

Ryan and Esposito both head home

When Ryan gets home to Jenny he is pretty depressed and she sees it right away.

"What's wrong Kevin?"

"We think that Kate and Castle have split and now he is getting ready to get married to someone else"

"OH MY GOSH! You're kidding, right? Is that what the invitation to the Hamptons is all about?"

"Yeah.! I didn't want to say anything before I knew something more definite. There is a newspaper article quoting a family member saying that there is a change in status and that there are wedding planners at the Hamptons setting up for nuptials."

"OH, NO! What does Kate say?"

"She's not talking to anyone. Not Esposito. Not Me. Not even Lanie. No one.


	3. Chapter 3 Kate's Gone

CHAPTER 3

The next 3 days go by slowly. They have not even seen Castle since Monday a week ago. He has not called or come by the station. Kate seems distracted, but has tried to stay focused on the work on her desk. But when new cases came in, she has just passed them off to the others and doesn't seem interested in taking on any new work.

Thursday afternoon, she picks up her bags and makes sure her desk is clean and is in order. Beckett walks over to the guys and tells them to have a great time in the Hamptons and that she is taking some time off. She has built up a lot of vacation and comp time and needs to clear it off the books. Ryan and Esposito look on in disbelief as she walks over to the elevator and steps in.

As they watch the doors close Ryan looks to his partner. "Is she leaving for good or just really on vacation"

Esposito looks to her desk. "Her elephants are still there. I hope she's just gone for a few days. I assume that by her comments she means that she is not going to Castle's place this weekend but of course I really didn't expect her to be there either."

"Yeah! Javi, I am totally bummed out on this. Is there anything we can do?"

"I wish I knew. But I guess we will have to try and talk to her one more time"

Ryan tells Esposito he will have Jenny try and call when he gets home. The two finish up their paperwork and head out of the station.

When Kevin gets home to he calls out to his wife "Jenny?"

"In the kitchen"

"We think Beckett may be leaving us"

"What makes you think that?"

"This afternoon, she cleared off her desk and told us that she would be off a couple of weeks and left the station. It appears she is hurt by this wedding but we can't be sure what she is planning"

"What do we do, Kevin? We can't let this happen She can't be hurt like this. Wait, that's this weekend, right?"

"Yeah, will you try to call her? We have not been able to talk to her at all.

Jenny thinks for a minute "Sure I'll call her and see if I can get anywhere."

"Please do." Kevin gives the numbers to his wife.

Jenny dials the home number first. She waits a moment then looks to her husband with complete shock on her face. "Her answering machine says that she is out of the country on vacation and will be back in three weeks."

"Call her cell"

Jenny does "It says the exact same thing. It is going straight to voice mail. She has already gone"

"Let me call Lanie and see if she will go over to the apartment. Lanie has a key to get in."

Ryan calls Lanie's number. When she answers, Kevin does not even begin to ask. Lanie has already started talking.

Kevin's face is totally screwed "What? Really! I don't know what to do now either. OK! I'll call Esposito. Bye"

"Kevin looks at his wife "Lanie is already at the apartment. It's empty! Totally empty! Cleaned out. Furniture and all. Jenny, Beckett's gone!"

"Kevin. What do you mean? GONE? What do we do? Can we find her now?"

"I don't know how."

"Me either"

Kevin takes his phone out and dials Esposito "Javi, she's gone. Kate's left town. Her phone messages say she is on vacation and will be back in three weeks and Lanie said her apartment has been cleaned out. She has moved away. Can we meet here?"

"On my way. I'll call Lanie". Esposito says in a rush, then hangs up

When everyone gets there, Esposito starts up "Well has anyone found out anything? Anything at all?"

Ryan answers first "No, I can find no trace of her anywhere. It's like she has completely dropped off the face of the earth. Where could she have gone.? Yesterday I even had a buddy go up to her dad's cabin to see if she was there. He just called back it was empty. In fact it was still boarded up from the winter."

Lanie chimes in "I went to Kate's apartment's super and asked if it was for lease, but he said, no. He actually said it was not a lease, Kate owned it outright. So if it went up for lease or sale, it would be Kate doing it."

Esposito "OK, now what? Wait! I have an idea, let's contact Agent Fallon with Homeland Security and ask a favor. See if he will check and find out if Kate has actually used her passport to travel outside the country."

Ryan picks up his phone and places the call "Hey Fallon, this is Detective Kevin Ryan, how are you? Great! Can you do a passport trace for me real quick? Yeah, it's actually Beckett. Yeah. Well we are a little concerned. She has been pretty depressed and now she's disappeared. We are trying to find her and make sure she is OK. Well her phone messages say she is out of the country for 3 weeks and we just want to make sure she's all right. Great! Call me back on this number. Thanks."

Esposito looks at Lanie "Do you have her father's phone number or his address in the city?"

"No, I thought he lived in the cabin most of the year."

"No, he does have an apartment here in the city somewhere."

Ryan's phone rings "Ryan. Yeah! Really? Nothing? OK, Thanks. OK will do. Bye", Ryan hangs up" Nothing. She has not used her passport to travel. All right everyone. What are we going to do? Kate is missing. Castle's getting married. We have to do something. What?"

Lanie eyes are glassing over "She's my best friend. I told her about a year ago, that Castle was waiting for her and if she didn't make a move soon he might be gone. I guess he got tired of waiting."

Esposito "You're right. We all saw it. Castle waited and waited. She just never seemed to get the message. You know what though, maybe she just didn't feel the same way he did. Maybe she was ok with letting him wait or just letting him go. I guess he found someone new and he is completely gone from our girl's life now."

Ryan "So, I guess we pack our bags and go to a wedding that we really don't want to be at."

Esposito "I guess Kate made her decision and Castle had to make a decision too. Yeah! Castle still has been our friend. We need to go support him in his happiness. Even though we won't be happy about it."

They all leave Ryan's apartment. Lanie breaks down and cries for her best friend. "Kate, Where are you?"


	4. Chapter 4 To the Hamptons

Friday evening everyone clears their desks and heads home. Ryan and Esposito enter the elevator and go down to the ground floor and exit the building. The evening is a little gloomy with the last of the winter chill still in the air. There is something about winter in the city that is just dark and dim. It's hard to shake the feeling that everyone is going to be totally depressed this week end and not a thing can be done to cheer anyone up.

Ryan and Esposito decide to call Lanie and meet at the Old Haunt and have one drink before calling it a night. When they get there it appears that the place is closed for a private function of some kind. The man doing security at the door tells them that the owner is having a bachelor party and it is by invitation only.

The trio stands outside and decides that it is best if they not use their badges to get in because that will cause a very embarrassing set of events since Castle is personal friends with the mayor. If he gets mad that they intruded using their police credentials, then he could create a scene.

The three stand outside and decide to just head home and come back together tomorrow morning at the station to catch their ride to the Hamptons. This will probably be the longest Friday night any one of them has ever seen.

Saturday 7:00 AM

Ryan, Esposito, Parish, Gates and spouses are waiting at the door of the 12th. A long stretch limousine pulls up. The driver gets out and helps load the overnight bags each has brought. After everyone gets in, they pull away from the station for the trip to whatever Castle has planned for the day. The ride is chilled since no one wants to talk about what is happening today. Even Gates is solemn. She may be a by the book captain, she till does care deeply for her officers. After what seem like hours and hours, they arrive at the estate.

As they pull into the driveway they are besieged by reporters. Cameras are clicking. Reporters are yelling. Questions of who is in the car. Who is getting married? They hear one reporter ask if anyone know the whereabouts of Kate Beckett.

After they clear the entrance gate, there is uniformed security making sure the paparazzi are not getting in. The limousine pulls up to the main house and the doors open. Everyone gets out and goes into the main house. A woman approaches the group and tells them that she is there to escort them to their rooms if they want to freshen up before the ceremony. This lady has just confirmed that there is in fact a wedding being held. She tells them that they need to be on the lawn no later than 1:30. Ryan looks at his watch, it's now 11:00. They have a little over two hours.

After they rest for a bit, Ryan and Esposito go outside looking for Castle. Looking around the grounds, it is obvious that there is a wedding going on. There are hundreds chairs set up on the lawn. An arbor set up down by the beach for the nuptials. Flower arrangements are everywhere. This is an obviously elegant event.

There are tables with various exotic foods. Several servers are roaming the crowd with wine trays. Other servers are carrying trays of cheese, finger sandwiches, and fruit.

A string quartet is playing softly near the front. There are hundreds of guests roaming the grounds. Looking around, they see the mayor and several city council members. There also are several judges that, in the past, the detectives have had contact with execute warrants. But they do not see Castle or a minister or anyone who looks like they could be part of a wedding party.

Lanie comes out of the house along with Jenny and join up with the other two.

Lanie speaks first "Have either of you seen Castle?"

Ryan answers "No, but I don't see anyone I recognize except the mayor and some judges"

About this time the lady that greeted them at the door comes up to the group "Dr. Parish?"

Lanie answers "Yes"

"Will you come with me, please?"


	5. Chapter 5 The Morning Afterglow

**So everyone understands. The previous chapters happen in the future. Beginning with this chapter, we go back to the beginning of Kate and Rick.**

**This chapter time line is 5x1**

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ONE YEAR BEFORE

She slept late for the first time this morning. This is not normal for Kate Beckett. She is usually up before the crack of dawn getting dressed to go to work or even on the weekends she is up and cleaning house or doing laundry. But today when she opens her eyes, she sees the bright sun already shining into the windows. She is not in her own bed and she is not alone.

She stretches her arms over her head and then pulls herself up to look around. There, next to her is Rick Castle. As the fuzz of sleep finally clears and she comes fully awake, she starts thinking about last night and how she got here. Feeling the emotions building inside her again. Emotions she has never felt before.

She turns to face the man who has just made her world spin around. She is lying on Castle's pillow. In Castle's Bed. In Castle's loft. Looking into Castle's sleeping face.

This is Richard Castle, famous mystery writer. The Richard Castle that she had such a crush on many years before. After her mother's death she drove head long into all of his books. Went to book signings. Waited in line sometimes for hours just to get an autograph. Back those many years ago, she never imagined that she would even be friends with him, let alone be lying naked in his bed. having just spent a majority of the prior night engaged in a wild passionate mind blowing session of love making. She would not call it just Sex. It was more. Much more. It was making love. Yet, now look where she is. Lying next to him shivering not from the cold, but from her body's reaction to what is going on in her mind.

After what seems like eternity, his eyes start to open.

"Good Morning Beautiful" Rick reaches over to touch her. She feels the electricity pass between them again. This causes him to move over to her face and place a good morning kiss on those lips.

Suddenly Kate pulls back. Her face turning a little dark. Her mind shifts gears. She is not even sure why, but she suddenly has a fear of what is happening.

"Castle, what am I doing here?"

He is hoping this is a rhetorical question. "What? Are you wondering why you came to be with me last night? Are you suddenly having regrets? Are you thinking this was not a good idea? I don't understand?"

Kate pulls the sheet up tight to her neck, making sure she is properly covered and draws a deep breath. "No, I mean why am _**I**_ here? Why is Kate Beckett in Richard Castle's bed?"

Castle gets a curious, fear filled, questioning look on his face.

"Am I just another notch on the old bedpost this morning? A conquest? Your latest Score?"

Castle is wondering what has Kate to start feeling so suddenly insecure. He just does not understand. Last night was better than he ever imagined could possibly happen between him and her. His mind is still reeling from the wild passion that flew between them. He knows she was no conquest.

"I have been chasing you for four years, Katherine Beckett. Believe me when I tell you, no man chases a woman for four years just for a one night stand, a roll in the hay, or a conquest. A woman who is pursued for that long is because she is loved. Truly loved. Kate, I love you. I thought you understood that I am crazy madly, totally, and completely in love with you. My love for you started long before last night, last month or even last year. I have been in love with you almost from the day we met."

"Castle, I hear the words. I see the actions. But I don't understand the why. I don't understand why you say you love **me**. I am just a simple girl from the city. A police detective. One of many woman police officers. You however, Richard Castle, are a world renowned mystery writer. One of New York's most eligible bachelors, number 3 or whatever. You can have any woman you want. You should be seen going out with famous actresses or the number 6 most beautiful bachelorette in New York. Not some simple little girl like me. Why is it me? Why am I here?"

Good grief! How to start off a day. Especially after what happened between them last night. What do you say in response to that? Is it because she was in crisis when she came to him? She just needed to fill a void inside and now that it is taken care of, she is ready to leave? Has she been keeping that one foot out the door, even with him? Fear sets into Castle. He loves Kate. He just wants her. He must keep her. His heart is getting ready to break listening to what she says.

"Kate, first off, you **are** the most beautiful woman I know, of course other than Alexis. The word bachelorette is a woman who is single. And I believe you are single, correct? Therefore you **are** the number one most beautiful bachelorette in New York."

Kate just looks at Castle in wonderment. He can barely continue because he is so spellbound by the beauty lying next to him questioning why she is here. His heart is about to burst completely out of his chest. How can she even question what she means to him?

"You are not simple. I meant everything I said yesterday about you being the most challenging, frustrating, madding person I have ever known. I once told you that you were a mystery that I was never going to solve. I still believe that. You are such a complex. Person. You have so many layers. I am just beginning to peal them back. Under every new layer I find one more reason to love you and I have a feeling I am going to find even more reasons to love you as more of those layers are removed. I think I may never unpeel all of them but that is just fine with me. I am totally enjoying trying to unravel the mystery of Katherine Beckett."

Kate's eyes are glassing over. The beginning of tears is evident. She still does not yet completely comprehend the level of love Rick has for her. Evidently no man has ever loved her the way Castle does. No man has ever expressed his love of her to this level, to this depth. Not even come close to this.

The empty hole inside of her created by her mother's death caused her to doubt her own value as a person. That hole, caused by her not being able to solve the case. She has always been ready to run away from any man who wanted to get closer to her. This time all she wants do is to run to this man. This man is Richard Castle.

"Finally, Kate. You are real. You are not a fake. The movie stars are not real. The book groupies are not real. When I see you, I see a real woman. A woman who has had a real life. A life filled with highs and lows. You have had to fight for what you believed in. You didn't have things handed to you just because you wanted them. You had losses. You had gains. You have real friends. You have friends who will stick with you through thick and thin. Friends who will laugh with you and cry with you. All the others out there would desert you when times got tough. You are a real friend to everyone you know, those at the station and finally, you have been a real friend to me. That means we have a relationship that began on that friendship. Very few can claim that. You are fun to be around. You can always make me laugh."

He is looking deep into her eyes.

"That is the woman I am in love with."

Rick is looking into the most beautiful hazel eyes he has ever seen wondering how he can be so lucky. She is returning the look into Castle's eyes wondering how she could be so lucky.

"Kate, over the years I have messed up in my life. I thought having the playboy life was great. Parties, bimbos on each arm, not having to be responsible for anyone except Alexis. I was so wrong in thinking this is what I needed when what I really needed was someone rock solid. Like YOU. I don't know if you knew this, but the night I met you, Alexis and I were talking and I said that I had a wish. I wanted someone to come up to me with saying something different. All I ever heard was 'I am your biggest fan, sign my chest'. Then there you were. Everything in my life changed because of you. I am the one who should be questioning why you, Katherine Beckett, are here with me. Not why I want to be with you!"

Rick reaches to put his arm around Kate and pulls her to him so there lips are almost touching.

"Rick, it has just been so hard to understand, that's all. Just so you know, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life just like this. Last night was great, just like you said"

"You are the woman I want for the rest of my life. Kate, I love you. too. I just want **you**!"

Rick moves in for a kiss. Kate is just completely melting into him. She is still trying to comprehend that this is real. Richard Castle. The famous Richard Castle is totally and completely in love with her. And Katherine Beckett is totally and completely in love with him.

As they begin to do more of what they have already spent most of the previous night engaged in, they hear the front door close.

"Hey Dad, I'm home"

"Oh my gosh, it' Alexis"

Beckett jumps out of the bed and heads directly to the bathroom. Castle grabs a robe, puts it around himself and opens the bedroom door.

Looking at his daughter "Good morning pumpkin" he moves directly toward the kitchen so to distract the younger Castle from his bedroom.

"Good morning, Dad" Alexis replies. While looking toward the bedroom door, she notices what looks like a ladies blouse and bra on the floor. "Uh Dad. Did I miss anything last night? "

"Uh! ….No!"

"Did you throw one of your famous book parties while I was gone?"

"No, why?"

Alexis walks over toward the bedroom and picks up Kate's bra off the floor and holds it up in the air.

"Oh! No reason in particular."

Castle is obviously caught.

"Is she still here? Do I need to go ahead and head upstairs so she can sneak out like nothing happened here last night?"

Castle looks directly at his daughter "It's Kate"

Alexis is frozen where she stands "Did you say Kate? Detective Beckett?"

"Yes. Alexis, Kate and I are in love and last night we finally….uh…"

"OK! Dad, I don't need any detail pictures of what happened last night. So I guess she's still here?"

"Yes, she is in the bathroom. She was caught in the rain last night and was soaking wet when she came, so her clothes were messed so she took them off."

"Or you helped take them off? Never mind. Don't answer that question, Dad. I am going to my room to try to get these images out of my head then try to get some sleep. We will finish this conversation later, OK?"

"Fine pumpkin. We do need to clear the air. A lot I'm afraid"

"Night dad" Alexis drops the bra on the couch then quickly heads upstairs.

Before she gets out of earshot, he says "oh, please let's not say anything about this to anyone until Kate and I have a chance to decide how we will handle all this and make some plans, OK?"

"Sure Dad"

Rick thinks he can hear a giggle from his daughter just as she gets almost out of ear shot.

Castle goes back into the bedroom and knocks on the bathroom door. "Kate?"

"Where is she?" Kate quizzes while peeking out around the door.

"She's gone to her room. You want to shower while I fix some breakfast?" he looks at the clock. "It's almost noon. I guess let's make it lunch?"


	6. Chapter 6 Later in The Day

Kate finds some "very much too big for her" sweat pants and top in Castle's closet. At least she is totally covered and if Alexis comes back down or Martha shows up there will not be as much discussion.

Rick prepares some simple ham sandwiches for a lite lunch. Kate comes in from Rick's bedroom and sits on the stool at the counter. She picks up a sandwich and starts to nibble on the edge. She is not overly hungry, but she probably should be after all, what they were doing last night does burn a lot of calories. Castle sits on the stool next to Beckett and watches her eat her sandwich and thinks to himself, "she is so gorgeous and she is here in my loft. We are finally together. I am the luckiest man in the world."

Beckett looks over at Castle "its creepy having you watch me while I eat"

"I know, but I can't help it. I have wanted to have you here like this for such a long time. You need to let me savor the moment."

"OK! But, it's still creepy" Kate finishes her sandwich and turns to Castle "I need to go home soon anyway."

Rick looks like a sad little boy "I want you to think of my place as home and I really don't want you to leave. At least not so soon"

"Rick, I do have my own place. And right now, I think we need to consider about how this is going to change things. We changed everything last night. Our personal friendship, our love lives, and especially our working relationship…." her voice trails off

Kate stops herself. She is getting ready to mention her job at the precinct. But she doesn't have a job anymore.

"Rick, I resigned from the police force yesterday"

"OH! Really?"

"Yeah! Gates suspended me and Javi for what I did and I resigned."

"Is this what you really want?"

"I was mad at Gates. But it was my own fault for going off book, not hers. Mainly I needed to be here with you and no longer tied to my mother's case. I really don't know what I want to do. I guess I should try to get my job back, but only if you and I are still together. That is what really matters to me now. Will you still love me if I'm not a cop?"

"I love you no matter what. Cop or not. You are who I am in love with, not the police officer"

"So me going back after my job is ok with you?"

"Only do that if you really want it back. You know, you can stay with me. Move in here. I will take care of you. You will have anything you will ever want or need for as long as it includes me."

Beckett reaches over and takes Castle's hand "I know."

There is an extended pause as they look deep into each other's eyes just like they have been doing for so many years. They now both realize just how much they have been having eye sex with each other all of this time and never even touched one another. When they come back to reality Castle speaks up "So how do you want to handle telling everyone else? Or do we?"

Kate thinks for a moment, "UH! Maybe we should hold off on that. The department has a strict policy on relationships at work and if I do go back they might deny us working as partners if they knew we were together like this."

"OK. But since I am not officially an employee of the NYPD, they could hardly stop me I don't think"

"True, but the real reason for separation of couples in relationships is problems occur if one or the other is in danger. Emotions kick in and right now you and I have a lot of emotions going on between us."

"So very true. OK. For now, we keep it our little secret. Since Alexis is interning with Dr Parish, I will need to make sure she keeps quiet about what she knows."

"Rick, will you drive me home? I don't want be out on the streets of New York looking like a homeless person in your oversized sweat suit. I might be picked up by the NYPD for vagrancy."

Rick laughs at the thought of her getting put into a cell at her own station.

"What is so funny?"

"Oh, nothing."

Castle gets dressed and sadly takes Kate to her loft. He tries to talk her into letting him stay, but she tells him no. He says he will pick her up later and they will go out to dinner and maybe go for another round or two. She happily agrees. Rick pulls Kate into an embrace and kisses her like he has wanted to do so many times for so many years. Neither one wants to be the first to break the embrace. Kate finally pulls away and tells him he has to go and pushes him out the door.

Castle sadly drives back to his apartment alone. His mind is reeling. His heart is beating faster than it has in years. He wants this day to repeat over and over. It has been the best night and day of his life. He has been in love with Kate Beckett for so many years and finally that love has been acted upon. He is the happiest man on earth. Happier than he has been since the birth of his daughter.

He arrives back to his place and goes inside. Alexis is still up in her room catching up on some much needed sleep. He thinks about his all night party when he was 18 years old. Then suddenly he remembers what happened at his party and starts to bolt upstairs to give the third degree to Alexis and have her tell all. She better not have done anything even close to what he did. But he stops himself and decides he will grill her later. He knows she is a good kid and probably did not do anything nearly as bad as what he had done. He certainly hopes not.

He walks toward his study looking around for the evidence of what took place in this apartment last night. No lost clothes. No wine glasses. No misplaced underwear. The main living area is perfectly void of any evidence from last night.

Castle goes into his bedroom. As he looks at the messed up linens piled on top of the bed, his mind races thru what happened last night. He sits down on the edge of his bed. He picks up the pillow Kate's head slept on. He thinks about her hair, all wild spread out on the pillow. The peace on her face while she slept. He picks up the pillow and pulls it to his face. He covers his nose with the fresh linen and inhales her aroma deeply into his lungs. The sight of Kate Beckett storming thru his front door appears again into his head. The passionate kisses against the front door. Hand in hand to the bedroom. Clothes flying everywhere. Caution thrown to the wind. Four years of pent up passion and dancing around their feelings toward each other. Diving head long into each other.

Richard Castle still cannot believe this has actually happened. Something he was willing to want for. He decided a long time ago to wait for however long it took. Four years working side by side. Four years they were dating each other. Just not officially what would be called dating. But learning about each other inside and out. Four years of being more than just partners. Four years of him being in love with her. And unbeknownst to him, her falling in love with him. She was so right when she told him "You have no idea" about how great it would be for them together.

He is totally distracted by these memories. He is not paying attention to anything else in the room. Anything else in the world. He is completely unaware of a movement behind him. He feels a dull pain in the back of the head and everything goes black.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

The last 24 hours are buzzing around her head like a swarm of bees. Kate tries to get her thoughts together but nothing is working. She is trying to clean up her apartment and get her laundry done for the next week just like she is going to work on Monday. But she is not going to be working on Monday. Or Tuesday or Wednesday for that mater. She is unemployed right now and has no place that she has to be for the foreseeable future. But she is a creature of habit and still needs to do her housework.

But every time she tries to focus on the tasks at hand, her mind drifts back to last night and she stops whatever she is trying to do. Never in her life has a lovemaking session remained in her memory past its usually unsatisfying conclusion. This one won't leave her head at all. She did not know she could feel the emotions that are driving her right now. Her brain is so filled with endorphins she cannot focus on anything. She is feeling more excited right now in just her memories of last night than she has ever felt before when actually engaged with anyone else. How is this even possible?

Her mind replays last night over and over again. Each replay is as vivid and exciting as the one before. She cannot even count how many times she reached the top of the mountain. It seems that each one was followed by another rise and another rise until finally they both succumbed to sheer exhaustion and passed into blissful sleep.

Maybe being submerged into Rick Castle and his life is what she has needed all along. She is so glad that they have crossed that line. She wishes now that they had done it sooner. Well, we are here now and we are going to make the best of it. If last night was any indication of things to come, this relationship is really going to be great. She just wanted him. She told him. She showed him and he showed to her that his feelings were the same.

She finally decides it will do no good to try and work around the apartment. All she can do is think about being with Castle. So she might as well jump back in. She wants to repeat last night if that is even possible. She doesn't feel tired. She feels alive, strong, content, and happy. She picks up her phone and calls Castle's cell number. She needs to tell him she loves him. She wants to talk to him. She just wants to hear his voice again. She wants him to come over. She wants to repeat last night. Not just in her head but in her bed this time. There will be no interruptions here. No mother coming home. No daughter coming home. Just her and Rick in each other's arms.

But it is not Ricks' voice that answers the phone.

"Well! Hello Detective Beckett" The air is trapped in her lungs when she realizes that the voice is one she has heard just the day before. Cole Maddox!

"Maddox, what are you doing with Castle's phone?"

"Well I have more than just his phone. I have him and if you want him to live you will do exactly what I say."

"What is that?" Knowing full well that Maddox is planning on killing her, but Kate knows that maybe, just maybe she can save Castle's life for the sake of Martha and Alexis.

"I will call back when I am ready to make the exchange. Of course you know not to call for NYPD help. I will know if you do."

"I want to talk to Castle! Put him on"

"He's taking a little nap right now, but I will make sure he is awake when I call back"

The phone disconnects. He said that he will know if I call the station. This confirms that he has someone inside the 12th. Now she knows why, whenever she started up on the case, someone came after her. Maddox employer has a mole at the department.

She has to trust someone at the station without question. But who? Ryan just saved her life, Esposito went in with her and was beaten by Maddox. She knows she can trust both of them. She grabs her phone and calls Ryan. He answers almost on the first ring.

"Beckett, are you ok? We have been worried about you. No one has heard from you!

Beckett, I'm sorry for telling Gates on you but…"

"Kevin, don't' apologize for saving my life, I need your help right now. Can you get over to my place right now?"

"Well yeah, what's going on?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Please make it fast."

"On my way"

She hangs up and immediately dials Javi's phone. "Esposito"

"Javi, I need your help. I know I shouldn't expect anything from you right now after what I caused yesterday, but Maddox has Castle"

"Your place?"

"Yes"

"Be there in 20"

Kate hangs up her phone and stops to think. If Maddox has Rick, where is Alexis and Martha?

Ryan is at Kate's place in 15 minutes and Javi is there just minutes later. Esposito looks at Ryan with anger in his eyes.

Beckett looks at both of them "Guys, if Ryan had not told Gates, I would be dead right now and you know it. So let's get over this petty bickering."

Beckett has to figure out how to tell the others about Castle without giving away the new relationship. Fortunately he was at his home and she was at hers when this happened.

"I called Castle to talk to him and to apologize for an argument we had yesterday about the case. But Maddox answered Castle's phone. Maddox has Castle and he wants to exchange me for him"

Esposito speaks up first "Well, he can't have you. Why is this going on? And why are we here and not at the station dealing with this?"

"The other thing he said was he would know if I called the station. He has ears at the station. I don't have any idea who, but when I think about the case, every time I got involved with it something starts happening and they go after me. So everything fits together. They seem to know when I am getting too close"

Esposito chimes in "You know you are right. It does sound like there is a leak somewhere. But who? Do you think we can trust anyone at the precinct?"

Beckett thinks for a moment "I don't know, but we have to, so we can get access to the files. I think I am willing to contact Gates. Don't you?"

Ryan shakes his head in agreement "since I told her about the other incident, I think I should make the call.

Everyone agrees and Ryan picks up his phone and dials the captain. "Sir, I need to talk to you in private about something. Can you come to….?" he gives her Beckett's address "it is critical that no one finds out about this conversation" Gates agrees to head over right away.

While waiting the three detectives go over what information they do have.

In about 20 minutes there is a knock on the door. Ryan opens it and lets the captain in. She quickly looks around and sees Beckett and Esposito sitting at the kitchen table. She looks to Ryan "What is going on and what is this about?"

Beckett answers "Sir, Maddox has kidnapped Castle and wants to exchange him for me"

"Why didn't you bring this to the station where we have the resources to investigate?"

"Sir, he said on the phone that he would know if I did and he would kill Rick. That means…"

The captain cuts her off "He has ears inside that station. Do you have any idea who?"

"No sir, I just thought this would be the best way to do this. If there is a mole, I don't think we can do this any other way, do you?"

Gates agrees quickly. "What about the rest of his family?"

Beckett responds. "Alexis is at his loft asleep and his mother was going to their place in the Hamptons yesterday. I assume they are still there. Can we get a protective detail on them but not from the NYPD?"

Gates picks up her telephone and calls the Internal Affairs unit and asks for a sergeant Greg. When he picks up "Sergeant, I need a detail assigned to two members of a victim's family. One is here in the city the other is in the Hamptons. We need to keep this close to the vest. It appears we have a mole of some type in the 12th "She gets the address from Beckett for the loft and tells the sergeant to get the information on the summer home to the locals to take care of Martha. The figure that the local PD will have information as to everyone who lives in their community.

"So detectives, where do we start?"

Esposito starts up "Sir, I wonder if Maddox really has EARS in the precinct? You know a bug?"

Gates responds "You know, that makes sense? I have had everyone there checked out before I took the assignment as the new captain. I really don't think it is someone. It might just be a something. I'll call and have a sweep done."

Ryan speaks up "Sir, what if it really is a someone? They will see the sweep team and report it. To Maddox."

"I have a team at my disposal that looks like the cleaning crew. They will go in, clean the building. In more ways than one"

Gates calls another number and tells them what she needs done. They tell her it will be done within two hours and they will call her back.

Beckett is just sitting at the table looking off in the distance not saying anything. She seems lost in herself at the moment.

Gates speaks up "Detective Beckett. You seem deep in thought"

"Sir. This is my fault that Castle is being held hostage. If I had just left this alone, he would be at home with his daughter. Safe and sound."

Ryan starts to speak when Beckett's cell phone rings. The screen says "Unavailable"

"Beckett" Kate listens for a moment then tells the caller she is going to put him on speaker phone.

The voice on the other end is deep baritone and very clear and distinct "Detective, I assume you are with several other detectives from your station. Correct?"

"Yes, I have Detectives Ryan and Esposito, along with Captain Gates"

"Very good. This way everyone will hear at once. My name is Mr. Smith. Mr. Castle and I have been having conversations concerning your health, Ms. Beckett. Mr. Maddox is trying to remove you from the equation and so far Mr. Castle has been successful in protecting you from him doing this, but now it seems he is the one in danger. We need to plan for a resolution immediately before Maddox can cause permanent damage."


	8. Chapter 8 Rick's Captor

CHAPTER

She stands in front of him all wet from the rain. He asks what she wants. Her answer "YOU"

She rushes thru his door, grabs his face and proceeds to kiss him into submission. She leads him to his own bedroom where she continues the kissing. She undresses him and waiting for him to do the same to her. They tumble into his bed and proceed to make love like neither has ever done before. His lips explore every inch of her body. He discovers those special spots on her body that no one has ever completely explored. She returns the pleasure. Richard Castle has never been so completely enthralled by a woman as he is with Kate. She is the one he wants to be with for the rest of his life.

But, for some reason he is developing a headache. In fact it is getting more painful. His head is starting to pound. Why is he feeling so dizzy? His head is spinning. Oh! There is bright light entering his eyes.

When Richard Castle regains consciousness finds himself tied to a chair with a gag over his mouth. Looking around the room to get his bearings. Where is he? He is confussed. What happened to his memories of Kate?

He sees one window up high one door on the other side of the room. Concrete floor, walls and ceiling. It is light outside, but it appears that it may be late in the evening or possibly early in the day. How long was he out? He has no way to tell. He can feel his watch on his arm, but it is tied behind his back. He is trapped in a room, alone. The room is about twenty foot by twenty foot. The ceiling is around fifteen feet high. It reminds him of the room where he and Beckett were handcuffed together. This time he is alone. No tiger. No Kate.

When he tries to move, he discovers that the chair is not tied to the floor and he can move around a little. He begins planning about how to free himself from his captor. Who is his guy anyway? The last thing he remembers was sitting on his bed thinking about Kate. How fantastic their first night together was and dreaming about how the rest of their lives would be. Now, he is not even sure they will have even a tomorrow together, let alone the rest of their lives. Who knocked him out? Who has him? And where is he? How did I get here? Where am I?

The door at the other side of the room opens. There is a shadow in the light. "Well, Mr.

Castle, I see you are awake. Glad you have been able to rejoin the group. I will be

needing to talk more to you later. But for now, please stay where you are and I will come back to get you"

With that, the door closes again. Castle is not sure who this person is. He could not see the face, but he is very sure the silhouette looked very much like Maddox. Since he had never heard the voice, he could not be totally sure, however.

Outside the room, Maddox is laying out his plan. Where he would have Beckett enter the building To what point he would let her travel to. Then where he would station himself.

He considers how long he would give her to see Castle before he shoots both of them. For a moment, he thinks he should let them kiss, then shoot her in the head in front of Castle letting him live with her blood spread all over him. Something to remember her by. Or possibly kill Castle first then her. This way she will suffer for a brief time before he finishes her off as well.

Maddox years of training in Special Forces causes him to be hardened to the damage he inflicts. He never thinks that the training was done for his preservation and the removal of those who endanger our way of life. The training that was never done with the intent of injury to his fellow citizens. Somewhere along the way, however, he lost his focus. The money from his employer suddenly became so important that he stopped looking beyond his bank account. He knew he was able to take care of himself without outside help. He knew, however, the money he made took care of the family he never was allowed to see anymore. The wife who left with his son and daughter while he was away in the dessert. Left him while he was defending those who couldn't defend themselves. At least he used the money to provide for them even though it was painful not being allowed to see the family he loved so much. The painful separation that will never heal

Now he needs to finish this job. Collect his bounty and move on to the next victim. He has separated himself from the fact he is hurting someone else every bit as much as he is hurt.

He climbs to the top of an adjacent building to get a better view of his intended target's path of entry and exit. A perfect location is the roof top two blocks away. It is the highest point in the area, so no one can get above him to take him out. He has an unobstructed kill shot to the door. This is perfect for him. He returns to the warehouse to gather his weapons and complete his plans.

After he gets his equipment ready, he returns to the room where he has tied Castle to a chair.

As he enters the door he speaks up "Mr. Castle, I will be calling Detective Beckett here in a moment. I need you to talk to her to assure her that you are ok. Then I will leave you to sit here until she comes to get you"

Castle looks at his captor for the first time and sees that it is in fact Cole Maddox. Looking into the cold eyes "You really think that I am going to invite Beckett to come to her own funeral in a completely impossible attempt to rescue me?"

"Of course I will. I have a job to do. I was paid to resolve an issue and I intend to finish this thing once and for all."

"Well you know that I will never talk to her and tell her to come here"

"Actually, I did not think you would be willing to speak, so I am going to call her, let her hear your screams while I torture you. I will leave the GPS turned on in the phone and she can simply come to this location, where I will be waiting for her."

"So, your intention is to use the training you received, not for the good it was intended, but for evil?"

"Well, if you put it that way. Then yes, I will use it to my benefit and obviously not yours"

Castle suddenly looks very intent and serious toward Maddox and says

"Maddox, Listen to what I have to say"

"My safe word is Apples"

Cole Maddox freezes in his tracks. His face turns pale and he begins to shake.

"Mr. Castle. Please tell me, you are not who I think you are?"


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

The detectives wait in Beckett's apartment for a response from the sweep team. Kate is staring at the phone waiting to get the call from Maddox that it is time to go and rescue Castle and get herself killed. She knows that this is the way it will go down. She can only imagine what the death of Castle would do to his daughter and mother. She cannot let the knowledge of her own demise affect her decision to rescue him from the hands of a killer like Maddox.

Captain Gates cell phone rings. She answers and listens intently to the caller, taking notes on her note pad. She looks at the other detectives then speaks into the phone quietly. Gates shakes her head as if to agree with the caller, and then hangs up.

Gates motions Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito follow her to the hallway of the building. Once outside the captain speaks up "the sweep team found nothing at the station. Anywhere!"

Beckett responds "but there must be something, somewhere"

"I agree. The team is coming here to sweep your apartment"

Ryan speaks "OK! So do we wait here and stay quiet or what?"

Esposito responds "Lets' go back inside and visit like we are just here having drinks until the team gets here"

The group agrees then returns inside. About 15 minutes later, the sweep team arrives. Once inside, they go to work without saying a word. Within two minutes, the leader comes from Beckett's bedroom to the kitchen holding Beckett's elephants. He has placed them into an antistatic bag. The type bag that computer people use to protect electronics from damage. This bag also prevents RFID or radio bug signals from getting out.

"Here is the transmitter." The sergeant says "it is very powerful. It has a range of about 5 miles. So whoever was listening did not have to be very close. They could be anywhere inside a 25 square mile area. Too hard to pinpoint, but that is the only listening device we have found."

Gates tells the sergeant to get the device back to the lab and try to determine who had the resources to acquire this device and they might be able to get to whoever provided this.

Now that they had located the eavesdropping equipment and removed it, they can talk freely about the situation and formulate the plans.

Beckett starts "well, we now know how they knew about my work on my mother's case. These elephants were on my desk just inches from where we would be while discussing the case."

"OK!" Gates chimes in "we have the mole issue dealt with. Now we can proceed on to the Castle issue"

Esposito responds "as soon as you hear from Maddox, I will get the aerial views and plot out my strategy. I have called a couple of my former special ops guys. We will set up over watch. They will be at high ground and locate Maddox and see to it that he is eliminated"

Captain Gates looks concerned "Detective, are you telling me that you will kill Maddox without regard…."

Esposito interrupts the captain "Sir, I will do what I must do to protect Beckett, Castle, Ryan or you. WHATEVER it takes!"

.

Before the captain can formulate an answer Beckett's cell phone rings. Caller id shows "Castle"

Everyone looks at Beckett as she picks up the phone and presses the speaker button along with the answer button. Kate's hand is shaking as she speaks into the phone. She is starting to get tears in her eyes. No one knows how much she is hurting over Castle. No one knows how much in love she is with Rick. Now she is afraid no one ever will. She knows before this day is over, she will be dead and probably Castle as well.

"Beckett" she answers with a trembling voice

The voice on the other end is Maddox, but he seems different somehow "Detective, I am leaving Mr. Castle tied to a chair in a warehouse. You can find him through the GPS on this phone. I am leaving now. The time it takes you to get his location from the phone will give me time to get away. Please understand I was only doing a job. I am leaving now. You will find Mr. Castle is safe and unharmed. Also I have informed my employer to stay away from you and Mr. Castle. Good day detective." The phone disconnects.

Esposito is the first to respond. "What just happened?"

Ryan is already on his phone calling a tech to have them track Castle's GPS signal.

Gates stares at Beckett in disbelief "What is going on? First they want you dead, now Maddox acts like he is afraid of you?"

"Sir, I have no idea. This makes no sense at all."

Esposito picks up his phone and calls someone, but he will not say who "contact has been made. I will get coordinates as soon as I can. This appears to have changed to a pickup, not a rescue. If all goes well, we will Not, I repeat will Not need act with extreme prejudice"

Ryan is making notes and then says thanks into the phone. He hands the note to Esposito who gives the information to whoever is on the other end of the telephone. After he hangs up, he turns to the rest of the group "They will call after they have made contact with Castle"

No one is ready to talk. This situation has taken a wild turn but no one is sure which way it that turn has gone. Very little is said by anyone for the next hour.

Ryan finally breaks the silence. "When are we going to hear something? This is killing me"

Little does he or anyone else know, but Kate is ready to jump in her car and drives over to the warehouse and find Rick herself. She doesn't care if her life is in danger or not. She has to know that he is ok.

Esposito's phone rings "Esposito. OK! Great! Where to? We are on our way." He hangs his phone up. They have Castle. He is fine. A few scratches and he has a massive headache. But he is fine. They are taking him back to his loft. They will have him home by the time we get there.

Kate is about to jump out of her skin wishing all the others would stay away. Let her go over alone. She wants him all to herself for just a little bit. But she knows that they have to keep the relationship quiet if they want to have any chance of working together. So they all leave together.

When they arrive at Castle's loft, Alexis opens the door and glares at Beckett before she notices the rest of the detectives and Captain Gates with her. They all enter and go straight to the couch in the living room where Castle is lying with an ice pack on the back of his neck.

Gates starts up first "Mr. Castle, exactly what is going on?"

"Captain, I really don't know. I was hit in the head, so things are not real clear. In fact I am not sure if I tried to tell you details, if anything would be true or made up in my mind. This man who captured me and tied me up to a chair. He called Beckett and threatened her. It was some time later, I was rescued by several men who said that they were friends of Esposito. Everything else is pretty much a blur. Right now, I need something for pain and I need to rest."

"OK Mr. Castle, I will let you rest, but I will be getting more answers later"

Captain Gates speaks to Ryan and Esposito while Beckett walks over and sits on the floor next to Castle.

Kate watches the others until they leave. She grabs Rick's hand and starts crying. "I almost lost you! I can't lose you! I need you. I love you! Please, promise me you will stay with me? Please?"

"Kate. I love you. Now and forever. I am not going anywhere"


	10. Chapter 10 Kate Meets Maddox

CHAPTER 10

Eight months have passed since the abduction by Maddox. Eight months since Maddox disappeared promising no one would pursue Kate again. Eight wonderful months have passed since Castle and Beckett finally gave into their feelings. Eight months of finally officially being together or dating. Well not quite officially dating exactly. More of dating on the down low. But dating, as in actually going out to places with each other. They have, so far, been able to keep that part a secret from everyone else that these are real dates, not just escorting each other places.

Being a well known author with a character based on Kate Beckett allows them to be seen together at book signings and charity events as the author and the Muse for his character "Nikki Heat". No one thinks too much about them being seen together. They have even convinced the others at the precinct and Kate's best friend, Lanie, that they are just promoting the books. And everyone is buying it. The others are just clueless about what happens after the charity ball or book store visits are finished. The mad dash back to one or the other's apartment for an evening filled with passion. This pair is still like two kids in a candy store when they are alone together. The tension built up by four years of dancing around their feelings has not decreased in the least. Each time they look at one another, the desire is evident. Each time they have that moment together is as exciting as that very first night during the storm.

How can two people spend that much time locked in each other's arms and still maintain that honeymoon feeling? They are not concerned about the "How does it happen?" They are just glad it is.

But Richard Castle is planning on breaking thru that secret wall that he and Beckett set up. It has been five years since they met over a case based on one of his books. Five years since he became smitten by this beautiful detective. Five years that he has been in love with her.

He has reservations at Geno's Bistro for Friday evening at 8:00 PM. He told Kate that it was a nice restraint and that he just wanted to have a quite diner together. Just the two of them. Kate was not on call at the station this weekend. So Castle knows they will not be disturbed by someone's dead body dropping somewhere around town.

He already picked out the music to be played. The wine selection. The appetizers. The main course. But the most important part of the meal was what he planned for dessert.

A flawless 14 carat emerald cut diamond ring. He selected the stone and had it set especially for this. He made sure it would fit her by borrowing one of her other rings to get the size perfect. He wanted to make sure that after tonight, she would have it on that most important finger. After tonight, there will be no doubt about "Will They or Won't They?" The only question remaining will be "When?"

He picks her up at her apartment at 7:00. She looks ravishing as always. How can this woman that he has known for five years always take his breath away every time he sees her? He has to struggle with himself to not just grab her on her doorstep and drag her back inside. So what if they are a little late to diner.

But he restrains himself. He wants tonight to be perfect. Perfect music. Perfect wine. Perfect meal. Perfect marriage proposal.

Richard Castle knows full well that disclosing the relationship to the world will kill any chance of them working at the princint together. But he really doesn't care. If she has a case that he can help with, she will bring the information to him at home and they will solve it together. What is most important to him now is for her to become his wife and for them to spend the rest of their lives together.

They arrive exactly on time for their reservations. The hostess greets them as they enter "good evening Mr. Castle, Ms. Beckett. You table is ready. Please follow me" She takes the couple to a secluded booth toward the rear of the restraint. She knows that celebrities such as Mr. Castle typically attract fans, newspaper reporters or paparazzi. So she likes to make sure they cannot be seen from the front of the restraunt. This gives her patrons some level of privacy.

After being seated, the wine steward comes up to them and offers them the selected wine. The appetizers are served almost immediately. Kate notices that this diner is different. She is not offered a menu, but the service is immediate. She suddenly feels a surge of adrenaline enter her system. She is having a premonition of what is going to happen. She knows what he has planned. She knows what she will say.

As soon as the main course is finished, the plates are removed and the server brings out the Crème Brule and places the cups in front of each of them. Kate is not looking at the dessert, but is looking directly into Rick's eyes. He is smiling from the top of his head to the bottom of his chin. Kate finally breaks the stare and looks down to the cup in front of her. Placed in the center of the cup is the ring that Castle had specially made. Written in thin chocolate around the edge is

"WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

The air escapes Kate's lungs. She can't talk. She can't even breathe. Tears appear in her eyes and she just shakes her head. All her plans on what she will say. How she will react go out the door. Castle leans into the table, grabs her hand, removes the ring and after cleaning the base, places it on her finger.

Kate just sits for a long while staring at the diamond that graces her left hand. She is pretty much speechless for the moment.

Rick finally breaks the silence "I guess we have to tell everyone now?"

Again Kate just shakes her head.

Castle pays the check and reaches for his new fiancé when they hear her phone chine that she has a message. The particular tone programmed is for emergency pages only and not routine calls. Picking up her phone, she reads a text from Ryan "Maddox captured. Wants to talk to you and no one else. No Castle! Call me ASAP!"

Kate is taken back a little. She tells Castle that a real emergency has come up and she has to call the station. Ricks was hoping for a little more time that evening, but he relinquishes his grip on her hand while she goes to the ladies room.

Kate starts up the moment Ryan answers "Kevin, you know don't want anything to do with Maddox or my old case anymore."

"Beckett, he says he must talk to you. That is a mater of life and death. Otherwise I would not be calling. He also said that Castle could not be with you, so I thought getting you in the evening would be the best."

"OK! Where is he?"

"He is at the Federal Courthouse in Federal custody. They know you are coming. I wonder if this has to do with the time he kidnapped Castle? That's why he doesn't want Castle around?"

"Ryan, I don't know, but I will go there and see what's happening. I'll call you later and let you know, bye"

Kate returns to Castle and tells him that she needs to go to the federal building to get some information on a case to take back to the station. Castle hails a cab and they leave for the court house.

The entire trip, Kate just stares at her hand and the ring that means that they are official. Really officially engaged. She can shout it from the rooftops if she wants to. She leans her head over on Rick's shoulder while they drove.

Upon arrival at the federal building, Kate took the new ring off and told Castle that she could not wear jewelry such as this in there. Rick placed the ring back into its case and into his pocket. The couple get out of the cab, Rick pays the driver and they go inside. Since it was after hours, Beckett presented her credentials to the officer on duty and told him that she needed to go to the 15th floor. This was the cellblock for federal prisoners in transit.

The guard told Castle that only credentialed law enforcement could go to that floor and that he would have to wait in the main lobby. Kate told him, that she will be fine, that this is a federal jail with plenty of officers to watch over her. He did not want to wait, but he said he would. Castle walks over to the chairs and sits down, pulls out his phone and starts playing hungry birds.

Beckett exited the elevator on the 15th floor, looked around to the guard turret. She showed her badge and visitor credentials and told the officer who she was there to see. He called over the radio to another guard to bring prisoner M19087 to interview 1. He directed Beckett to the door where she would enter. He told her that they would be separated by bullet proof glass, but they could talk thru the openings slots.

Kate entered the room and waited. About 5 minutes later the opposite door opened and in walks the man who tried so hard to kill her just a few months ago. He looks at Beckett and she actually thinks she sees fear coming from the man who was so strong and fierce when he threw her off the hotel roof and waited for her to fall to her death.

Maddox sits down in a chair and the guard places restraints on his wrists and connects him to a ring mounted to the wall. Even if there were no separation glass, he would not be able to harm her. As the guard leaves the room, he tells Beckett to just go to her door and knock and they will let her leave. She thanks the guard as he closes the door.

Beckett looks squarely at Cole Maddox "You drag me here to talk. So, What do you want Maddox?"

Maddox sits with his head down for a minute before he speaks up "I need you to tell your boyfriend to stop."

"Stop? Stop what?" Beckett is confused about what could Rick be doing that has Maddox in the state he is in.

"Castle is destroying me, my family, everyone I know. He is….."

"Wait, what do you mean Castle is destroying your family? How is Rick Castle destroying you family?

"You know? Right? Don't you know he is CIA?"

Kate feels her face turn a bright shade of crimson. "CIA? What do you mean CIA? Rick is a writer. He is not a spook"

"No lady, I promise you he is a spook. He is a CIA control agent. Why do you think I backed off on killing you and him? He told me if I didn't back off, my family, friends, everyone I came in contact with would die. Things started almost immediately. My ex wife has my kids. I used the money I made to take care of them. The bank accounts have been emptied. She disappeared. My former employer is dead. No one will hire me. He must be doing it"

Beckett is in shock. Her and Castle came to an agreement after the disaster they both caused by keeping secrets from one another. They both promised not to keep secrets anymore. They would be truthful with each other. No lies. Has Castle lied to her AGAIN? It does look like it.

"How do you know the Castle is CIA?"

"He used a code word while I had him tied up. This was a code we were trained that if it ever was spoken that this person's orders were to be obeyed without question. He used the word. After I acknowledged that I would obey, he told me that an automatic kill program had been initiated and if he did not reset it, then my wife and children would be terminated. Then my employer. Then any other family I had. And that this program had an unlimited recycle. So if I killed you or him, the program would execute. PLEASE, PLEASE tell him to stop the action. I promise I will not harm you, him or anyone else ever. PLEASE!"

Beckett gets up from her chair and calls for the guard to let her out. When she looks back at Maddox, he is visibly shaking. Something has him in terror of Castle. She stands outside the elevator not really sure what to do. Castle used lies and deceit AGAIN. Why did he do that again? Beckett decides that this is who he is. If he is going to lie to her, they have no chance. When she enters the elevator, she is not completely sure how she is going to handle Castle.

When the elevator door opens she sees Castle across the lobby. He gets up from his chair and as he starts to walk her direction, she shouts at him

"I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! YOU HAVE LIED TO ME FOR THE LAST TIME! WE ARE OVER! DONE! FINISHED! DO NOT EVEN TRY TO CALL ME EVER AGAIN! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Kate Beckett walks out the door leaving Castle standing in the lobby, looking out the window. He watches Kate get into a cab and drive out away into the darkness of the city.

Walking over to the officer at the counter, he asks who she just went to see. The officer looks at the log "It says prisoner named Cole Maddox"

Castle turns on his heels and runs out the door to get a cab. It is several minutes before one comes. He gets into the backseat and gives the driver Beckett's address and they leave. He pulls the ring box from his pocket and looks the symbol of his love for Kate

"I just ruined everything?"

* * *

**Well, I guess it is time to return to the Hamptons to see how the ceremony goes**

**As I have said before, I own nothing. Wish I did, but I don't.**

**The only thing I get from writing this is the stuff that gets emptied out of my head and onto paper, er excuse me , computer screen.**

**Food for thought. I like to take the base characters that are already created and adjust them just a little.**

**Have them act a little different. Give them a slightly different back story.**

**Example in Chapter 5 I had Beckett doubting Castle's real intent. She wondered why she was the focus of his love. In the show**

**this is not an issue.**

**So back to the fray so to speak. Let's see what is really happening in the Hamptons**


	11. Chapter 11 Back To The Hamptons

CHAPTER 11

The Wedding Day in the Hamptons

Three months have passed since that fateful night that Kate left. Three months that rips thru every strand of his heart.

Kate left without letting him explain. He tried over and over again to contact her. She refused every phone call, text message, e-mail he attempted to send. She even returned, unopened, the letters he sent via regular mail.

Castle even tried to get her father to intervene on his behalf. She told her dad to stay out of this. That she had been hurt for the very last time. She told her father that she was in love with Rick Castle, but what he did was beyond any other hurt she has ever experienced before, or ever wants to again.

Rick did tell Jim Beckett the entire story about himself. The writer's past involvement with the CIA. This connection even went back way before the Clara Strike character was invented. He tells Jim that he was recruited by the agency right after he became a popular writer some fifteen or more years before. That the company used him to pass information back and forth using his book signings all around the world as a cover. A courier would come to a book signing with a specific, older, book with a certain book mark in a specific page. Castle would sign the book. He then either took information from the book or places the information being sent back into the pages of the book. Sometimes both ways. From the outside, it looked like a normal autograph exchange. But it was anything but ordinary.

This activity went on for about five years before the company decided it was time to close down that method of information transfer. Actually, Richard Castle was glad to finally close that chapter of his life. Even though he was not considered a "Field" agent, he was still given extensive training. This included close combat and weapons. He had shown Beckett he could use a 9mm pistol very accurately, what she did not know was he was also very good with an AK-47 and could load and fire a shoulder launched anti aircraft missile and was fairly adept with many other weapons. But he had already decided she really did not need to know all the gory details of his previous life. And that is what it was. "A previous Life", not his current life.

One part of his training was to be able to identify himself in the event he was in danger and needed help from the intelligence community. It was the use of a simple word "Apples". Had he used it alone, he would have simply identified himself as a company man. When he used it in a sentence such as "My safe word is apples" he identified himself as a supervisory agent with all control and power in an operation. By using the complete sentence he let Maddox know he was high up in the agency. Maddox deduced that if he took extreme action against Castle or anyone under his protection then all bets were off and anyone of Maddox contacts might be eliminated. Knowing that Castle could and would execute an automatic "kill protocol", if something happened to Castle, the program would run to its conclusion. What Maddox did not know, however, was Castle had been out of the agency for so many years, he would get nothing in the way of protection. He was doing something he was good at during poker games, Bluffing! That bluff saved him and Kate and probably others in their group. But it's a mute point. Kate has left. She is gone from his life and he just really wants to die.

He has tried to apologize to her. He tried to let her know whatever Maddox told her was not really how it happened. She could not or would not listen. So in desperation, Castle dreamed up his little stunt. But right now, it looks like it will backfire on him. Well, if it does, then he will have to resort to Plan B. Of course Plan B closes all the doors permanently. But if he does Plan B, he will show Kate that she really was all he really wanted and everything else is worthless.

Richard Castle looks out over the lawn of his home. The home that by the end of this weekend might no longer be his. The friends he has gathered over the years will leave him, never to return. His book deals gone.

He sits down at the desk in his office and looks at all the pictures of Kate, Alexis, and Martha he has scattered all over the room. Pictures from happier times. He picks up one in particular of him and Kate down by the docks. She is smiling that million watt smile that just melts him every time she gives it to him. He is afraid he will never see that smile again.

* * *

Lanie had been pulled away from the group just after arriving on the lawn. The hostess directed her thru the main house to an upstairs guest room. As she passes the kitchen she sees a man that looks like the man Beckett was having lunch with last week. The man who was showing Kate pictures and she was smiling. He seems to be running this event.

Lanie tries to walk over to the man, but the hostess redirects Lanie up the stairs toward the room above. She opens the door and walks into a large sitting room with windows out to a balcony and overlooking the lawn. Standing in the shadow of the outside world is Katherine Beckett. She quietly turns toward her best friend "Lanie, I'm sorry I have put you through all this lately, but I have a problem and I don't know how to fix it"

"Kate, what is going on?"

There is a long pause before Beckett can form her sentences.

"Lanie, before we met, in fact many years before we met, Rick was an operative with the CIA. He couldn't tell me anything about it due to open cases. Or more accurately, he did not know if any cases were open or not, so he just stayed quiet about all of it. When Maddox captured Rick, he was going to kill me and Rick and probably everyone else we knew. Rick did something to save me. He used a CIA code word that brought it all to a close. But by doing this he lied to me again. And Lanie, I don't know if I can ever trust him ever again"

"OK! Let me get this straight. Castle did something to save your life and you are mad at him? I don't get it. And anyway why all this drama? You two just work together anyway. Let it all go and move on. And what is that circus downstairs all about anyway?"

"Lanie, Rick and I have been in a relationship with each other for almost a year"

"WHOA! Girlfriend! You kept that on the DL! How in the world did you do it? WOW! Oh, I see. This changes everything. Is the party downstairs a way to try to get you to marry him?"

"The night I found out about the CIA deal with Maddox was the night Rick proposed. And I accepted. But when I left the courthouse after talking to Maddox, I told him I never wanted to see him again and we have not been in contact since."

"If you have not been in contact, how do you know the details?"

"Rick gave my dad a bunch of information and he passed it to me. I have seen most of the story and it seems real. It does appear he could not say anything with it not being cleared. And he didn't see that it was necessary at the time, until Maddox tried to kill us."

"Lanie, I love him. I want him. I just don't know if I can ever trust him again. He doesn't really need me. He has his whole famous writer life to live. He can certainly do that without me.

"Kate, this show he is putting on downstairs shows me how he feels. Has he made it clear that there are no more secrets?"

"Yes, he told my dad that all the skeletons are out and there are no more surprises"

"OK, so where do you want to go from here?"

"I just don't know. I have been offered a job at another department as chief of detectives. That means I would be leaving New York. I could just disappear. I just don't know. I am in love with that jerk and I can't help it"

Beckett runs her hands thru her hair and looks out the window to the party going on out on the lawn.

At that very moment there is a knock on the door and Alexis comes in. "Kate, how are you doing?"

"Alexis, I'm sorry, I just don't really know right now. I am confused about my feelings."

"Well, I don't want to put any more pressure on you right now. But I want you to know something. My dad is in love with you. Very much in love with you. He never thought that the old CIA stuff would ever get out. Grams told me the story after this all blew up. How they recruited him, used him, then he was separated from his service he was given strict instructions about disclosure. He really could not say a word about it. So please take that into consideration."

"Thanks, Alexis"

"There is more I think you need to know. My dad is planning to basically commit professional suicide."

"What do you mean?"

"This marriage ceremony today is the symbolic marriage of Nikki Heat and Jamison Rook and represents the final book of the career of Richard Castle. He has written the final chapter on the lives of Nikki Heat, Kate Beckett. He has no plans to ever write again. He has told me that without you in his life, he cannot go on the way he was. He has no new characters in his head. No new stories to tell. No new places to go."

"Alexis, I never thought I would cause this to happen. I am sorry"

"Kate, this is not your fault, it just happened. Please don't blame yourself. Things just went bad. My dad loves you more than anything, everything. He was hoping that you would put on the dress over in the corner and walk down the isle. But I understand if you simply can't do it"

"Alexis, I…."

Lanie interrupts "Kate! You and I need to talk. Alexis, can you give me a minute"

"Sure" Alexis leaves the room

"Girl, I'm going to slap you"


	12. Chapter 12 Conclusion

CHAPTER 12

Richard Castle looks out the window toward the back yard and to his guests. He is trying to decide exactly what he is going to say. He wishes he knew the words, but right now, under the present circumstances, he is at a total loss. For a wordsmith, his brain is empty. Not a good sign, but it fits how he has felt for the last few months. The words will not come to him. He cannot put words to paper. He can no longer tell the story of Nikki Heat. She has gone.

No one knows how hard it was to invite everyone here today. How much grief he is feeling about the closure of this part of his life.

Honestly, he is numb inside. He wishes he knew what Kate was thinking. He misses her so much. This last year of stolen moments together. The excitement they shared being able to hide the relationship from everyone. The few times they managed to steal a kiss in the break room when no one was around. All these things are gone. His love for her will never be surpassed.

He looks over to the desk where he has had papers drawn up transferring the home in the Hamptons to Kate. The loft in New York to Alexis. Investments assigned to his mother, Alexis and Kate. Leaving only the income from his final, yet to be released and final Nikki Heat book for him to live on. He knows that this is his penitence for what he has done. He wants to make sure the three women he loves are all well taken care of. He walks to the desk, sits down and places his signature on each line where the attorney has marked the place.

Richard Castle stands up looking at the clock. Seeing it is 1:30 he leaves through the outside door into the lawn to greet his guests and to face the music that he has created himself.

As he walks to the front of the group, the string quartet lowers their playing and concludes their current selection.

As he turns to face the group, he clears his throat and tries to speak. But he still cannot find the words he wants to say. In his mind, he sees his life flash from the happiness of the birth of his daughter, the newspapers calling him a best selling author, and most importantly, the day he met Kate Beckett.

"Good afternoon everyone. I am so glad you could join me for this most unusual day. I know that each of you is expecting something unusual to be happening today. I can assure that I have planned a very different event that anyone of you has ever experienced."

"As you all know, during the last five years I have presented the story of a feisty New York police detective named Nikki Heat. Her story was inspired by one of New York's finest detective Katherine Beckett. Now, if anything, Nikki only partially depicts the real woman behind the badge. That real woman, Kate Beckett showed me how it was done. She showed me that there was a different world out there. She also showed me a different side of myself."

"Ironically in showing me a different side of me, she caused me to fall in love with her. Not Nikki Heat, but Katherine Beckett. And for the record, Kate and I have been dating since last year. Or more accurately were dating. Due to my own personal issues, this relationship was severed about three months ago. I have only myself to blame."

Without being noticed by Castle the quartet has begun playing "Canon in D". A very traditional wedding march.

"So, without my Muse to guide my writing I have decided to…"

His voice trails off as he sees Lanie Parish step to the center isle and begin walking toward him.

Richard Castle finds he has lost all ability to speak when he sees Jim Beckett step into the isle with the most beautiful Katherine Beckett on his arm.

She is dressed in a very soft white summer dress with a simple vale. She is carrying a bouquet of carnations and wearing that million watt smile that Castle thought he would never see again.

Behind him, Judge Robinson, one of Rick's oldest friends had stepped up to perform the ceremony.

"Who gives this woman in marriage to this man?"

Jim Beckett answers "Her mother and I"

Richard Castle really does not hear much else except her saying "I do" and him saying "I Do"

And finally

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present for the very first time

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Castle"

THE END

Or maybe just the beginning


End file.
